Make A New Best Friend

The companionship of a well-mannered pet is one the most fulfilling aspects of the human-animal bond.

Check out our new micro-classes. Focus in on one topic and have some fun!

Leash-Walking - $50Mondays @ 5-6 • Feb. 26 and Mar. 5

Trick Class - $70Tuesdays @ 5-6 • Feb. 27 Mar. 6 and Mar. 13

Recall (Come) - $50Wednesdays @ 5-6 • Feb 28 and Mar 7

Our training program is designed to develop a highly focused relationship between you and your dog. With small class size, our sessions are set in stages so pets can master age appropriate behavior and then graduate on to new, more demanding challenges.

Choose from group lessons or intensive one-on-one sessions. Please contact us at 920-465-4444 if you are interested in these services, and we will get you enrolled in the class that is right for your pet. Need help with a behavioral issue? You can speak directly with our trainers to get solutions, and peace of mind.

Puppy Class

A small class that focuses on building the fundamental element of a well-trained dog: a positive focused relationship between you and your puppy.

Commands/Topics:

Sit, Down, Recall, Place

Exercises:

Loose Leash Walking

Topics:

Training Equipment, Fears, Socialization

Maximum Class Size:

8

Length of Class:

6 weeks

Recommendation:

8 weeks - 6 months of age

Sessions:

Monday Evenings March 26 - April 30 @ 5:00-6:00pm

Tuesday Evenings March 27 - May 1 @ 6:15-7:15pm

Wednesday Evenings TBA

Thursday Evenings TBA

Cost: $130

Beginning Manners

Whether your dog is new to the family or just needs a refresher, this class covers everything from basic obedience to walking nicely on a leash. Beginning Manners is set up to provide structural learning that can last a lifetime.

Commands/Topics:

Sit, Down, Recall, Place, Heel

Exercises:

Loose Leash Walking, Holding Commands with Distractions

Topics:

Body Language, Exercise, Hand Signals

Maximum Class Size:

7

Length of Class:

6 weeks

Recommendation:

6 months + of age

Sessions:

Monday Evenings March 26 - April 30 @ 6:15-7:15pm

Tuesday Evenings March 27 - May 1 @ 5:00-6:00pm

Wednesday Evenings TBA

Thursday Evenings TBA

Cost: $130

Intermediate Manners

This class builds upon basic obedience principles, and is the next step in training. Class time will focus on more advanced commands as well as higher levels of distractions as the class progresses.

Commands:

Heel, Recall, Finish

Exercises:

Sit and Down in motion, Hand signals, and Distance commands

Maximum Class Size:

7

Length of Class:

6 weeks

Requirements:

Must have passed Beginning Manners

Sessions:

Monday EveningsTBA

Tuesday Evenings TBA

Thursday Evenings March 29 -May 3 @ 5:00-6:00pm

Cost: $130

Advanced Training

Advanced training is a challenging class focused on off leash training and long distance commands. For the owner that seeks a highly bonded relationship with their pet.

Exercises:

Sits and downs in motion, Halfway commands, off leash walking

Maximum Class Size:

7

Length of Class:

6 weeks

Requirements:

Must have passed Intermediate Manners

Session:

Thursday Evening TBA

Cost: $130

Introductory Agility

A super fun dog sport where pet owners learn the techniques of directing their pet through an obstacle course including tunnels, teeter totters and jumps. Appropriate for any breed. Great class for building confidence and burning energy!

Commands Needed:

Loose Leash Walking, Sit, Down, Wait

Exercises:

Jumps, Tunnels, Dog walk, Table, Teeter Totter

Maximum Class Size:

7

Length of Class:

6 weeks

Requirements:

Be able to walk on leash.

Session:

Wednesday Evenings April 11 - May 16 @ 5:30-6:30

Cost: $130

Agility II

Challenge your pet to reach new heights of skill, coordination and confidence. Agility II expands upon the fundamentals learned in Introductory Agility. Course changes weekly to give you and your dog greater variety. Emphasis will be on refining skills and improving course times. Appropriate for any breed. Excellent exercise!

Session:

Wednesday Evenings April 11 - May 16 @ 6:30-7:30

Cost: $130

Canine Good Citizenship (CGC) Certification

Used across the nation as a screening tool for therapy dogs, and model for many police and animal control agencies. This class is excellent for shy dogs as a confidence builder and for owners who hope to have their pets participate in pet therapy. A great alternative for all pet owners who are seeking an different kind of training challenge. All dogs that pass the 10-Step CGC test receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

Testing items to include: Accepting a Friendly Stranger, Sitting Politely for Petting, Appearance and Grooming, Out for a Walk, Walking Through a Crowd, Sit/Down/Stay Command, Coming when Called, Reaction to Another Dog, Reaction to Distraction, and Supervised Separation.

Class lead by Approved CGC Evaluator, Evan Easterhouse

Commands Needed:

Sit, Stay, Recall, Heel

Exercises:

Appearance and grooming, Reaction to Another Dog, Supervised Separation

Session:

Thursday Evenings TBA

Cost: $130 Class + $50 Test

Canine Good Citizenship Advanced (CGCA) Certification

Is your pet already CGC certified? If so, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has developed another level of challenge. Your dog can become an AKC Community Canine and this title will appear on your pet's award record at the AKC.

This accreditation has a 10-Step list of skills that dogs must demonstrate while on leash.

Testing items to include: "Leave it" in a heavy distraction environment, entering/exiting a doorway in a highly controlled manner, etc.

Class lead by Approved CGCA Evaluator, Evan Easterhouse

Maximum Class Size:

7

Length of Class:

6 weeks

Recommendation:

Must have Canine Good Citizen (CGC) award on record at the AKC.

Session:

TBA

Cost: $130 Class+ $50 Test

In-Home Training

Beneficial for behavioral problems that are specific to the home setting and family dynamics. Our trainers will work with your entire family to alleviate/resolve deeply entrenched problems. An excellent option for busy families whose schedule does not allow attendance at evening or Saturday afternoon classes.

One-on-One Training

For the pet that needs more time and attention from our training staff than the traditional group setting. One-on-one training can be conveniently scheduled when pets are receiving other services such as boarding or daycare. Particularly beneficial for the pet that may have deeply entrenched socialization issues such as aggression that may challenge their relationship with other pets and/or people.

How do I get my dog to come when called?

Whenever you do the recall/come command with your pet, it always needs to be a positive welcome when they get to you. The best way to start this exercise is to have them on a long leash. This way the dog is able to have some distance, but you have a physical way to bring them to you. Also have a super great treat that the dog loves. Then make this a game, the more fun you make it, the more willing your dog will come to you.

With your dog on a long line, back away from them and in fun voice, call them to you. Be consistent. Use the same word for the recall. This is key with any of your commands. Once the dog gets to you, reward with the treat and praise. If your pals get distracted on the way to you, give a tug on the leash to get the attention back on you, and repeat your command. Never reprimand your dog for not listening once they have come to you. This is very confusing for the dog because the dog is being punished for coming. Disciplining improperly at this point can really set back training on the recall command.

How do I get my dog to not be fearful of the vacuum?

You need to desensitize your dog to the vacuum. For starters, do not put the vacuum away after using it, leave it out so that your dog can explore it on its own. Make the vacuum very positive by feeding your dog by it, putting treats on it for your dog to go get. Once the dog is comfortable with it turned off and not moving, start to pretend vacuum (have the power off). As you do this give your dog treats as it is moving, again working with the dog coming closer to the vacuum. Now that your dog thinks of the vacuum as a treat dispenser, turn it on but do not move it, again give your dog treats. Slowly start to move it as you give your dog treats. Keep practicing this exercise until the dog is comfortable with the normal movement and sound of the vacuum.

How do I get my puppy/dog to stop barking in the kennel?

The first step is to not let the dog out of the kennel when barking. If you do this, your dog very quickly learns that barking behavior is how to get out of the kennel! You want to teach them that quietness gets them out. Our training staff recommends using Interostop. Interostop emits a sound and an Interomone. It is completely safe and can be used long term. Interostop can be purchased at The Groom & Board or online. Make sure to pair a word or phrase (ie. Quiet, No Bark, Enough) when you spray the Interostop. When using the same word with the Interostop, the dog will learn to listen to the command and eventually you will not need to spray the Interostop. Our staff can assist you with proper Interstop use.

We also recommend desensitizing your dog to its kennel. Kennel your dog when you are home during the day for short stints at various times. For example: at dinner time or when you are on the phone. This way, your dog's kennel time is not only when you leave for work or when it is bed time. You can also give a safe toy to play with in the kennel, like a stuffed frozen Kong or a Nyla bone, to keep them occupied.

How do I house train my puppy?

We recommend reading "Way to Go! How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age" by Karen B. London, Ph.D. and Patricia B. McConnell, Ph. D. You can purchase this book at The Groom & Board or online. This book is very informative and has helped many owners teach their dogs to eliminate outside. When house training your dog, you must watch your pal at all times when they are roaming in the house. When you can't keep an eye out, the dog needs to be in a kennel or on leash (even inside). This way, there is no opportunity to for the dog to have an accident without your knowledge.

Consistency is the key to success. Always take the puppy out the same door, this will help the puppy know what door to go to later. When you take the puppy outside, you need to go outside too, to make sure he/she actually eliminates. Keep your pal on leash to help stay on the task at hand. Once your puppy goes, walk then around a little longer to make sure they are complete done with their business. This process takes patience. If the puppy did not go, keep them near you when you go back inside and then try again a few minutes later. Setting a timer can be very helpful. If your puppy can hold it for 30 minutes, set the timer for 30 minutes. After a week of no accidents, set it to 45 minutes and so on. The timer is only for daytime, at night the puppy should be housed in a properly sized kennel and should sleep all night without getting up to go outside.

If you find an accident, the only thing you can do is clean it up. Never put the dog’s noise in it and punish him/her. If you catch them in the act of potting in the house you can make a loud noise, for example, saying "Oops" or "OH NO" in a loud voice but not an angry voice. Do this to distract the puppy and hopefully stop them from potting inside. Then, with a happy voice, get your puppy outside to finish. Take your puppy outside even if they fully went inside. This teaches that potting is an outside activity.

Do not use an angry/scary tone to correct a potting accident in the house. This will cause the puppy to think that potting in front of us is bad. When pet owners yell or hit or otherwise punish their dogs for having accidents, the dogs may never feel comfortable potting, even outside, if the pet owner is present. This can create a major house training set back and cause life long elimination problems.

My dog does not jump on me but he jumps on other people, how do I get them to stop?

Staying consistent with our dogs is key, if you give them an inch they will take a mile. When other people want to meet your dog, have them follow the rules you have established. Dogs jump to get our attention, so we need to teach them a different way to get this. Whenever the dog jumps, take their paws and put them back on the ground, once the paws touch the ground say “off” and push their back-end into the sit position. Once they are in the sit position, give them soft praise. Try not to over praise, a soft pet is enough, if we over praise we can get them excited and they may jump again.

My puppy is constantly chewing on things he/she should not be when his chew toy is sitting right there. How do I teach him/her not to do this?

New puppies do not understand the difference between your shoe and their chew toy, so you need to teach them the difference. To start, make sure your puppy is getting enough time to play and exercise, a tired dog is a well behaved dog. Then use the 4 “R’s”: Remove, Redirect, Replace, Reward. Remove the object they are not to have, Redirect the dog's attention, Replace with a proper item (example, bone) and Reward with verbal praise for chewing on the correct object.

How do I get my dog to come when called?

Whenever you do the recall/come command with your pet, it always needs to be a positive welcome when they get to you. The best way to start this exercise is to have them on a long leash. This way the dog is able to have some distance, but you have a physical way to bring them to you. Also have a super great treat that the dog loves. Then make this a game, the more fun you make it, the more willing your dog will come to you.

With your dog on a long line, back away from them and in fun voice, call them to you. Be consistent. Use the same word for the recall. This is key with any of your commands. Once the dog gets to you, reward with the treat and praise. If your pals get distracted on the way to you, give a tug on the leash to get the attention back on you, and repeat your command. Never reprimand your dog for not listening once they have come to you. This is very confusing for the dog because the dog is being punished for coming. Disciplining improperly at this point can really set back training on the recall command.

How do I get my dog to not be fearful of the vacuum?

You need to desensitize your dog to the vacuum. For starters, do not put the vacuum away after using it, leave it out so that your dog can explore it on its own. Make the vacuum very positive by feeding your dog by it, putting treats on it for your dog to go get. Once the dog is comfortable with it turned off and not moving, start to pretend vacuum (have the power off). As you do this give your dog treats as it is moving, again working with the dog coming closer to the vacuum. Now that your dog thinks of the vacuum as a treat dispenser, turn it on but do not move it, again give your dog treats. Slowly start to move it as you give your dog treats. Keep practicing this exercise until the dog is comfortable with the normal movement and sound of the vacuum.

How do I get my puppy/dog to stop barking in the kennel?

The first step is to not let the dog out of the kennel when barking. If you do this, your dog very quickly learns that barking behavior is how to get out of the kennel! You want to teach them that quietness gets them out. Our training staff recommends using Interostop. Interostop emits a sound and an Interomone. It is completely safe and can be used long term. Interostop can be purchased at The Groom & Board or online. Make sure to pair a word or phrase (ie. Quiet, No Bark, Enough) when you spray the Interostop. When using the same word with the Interostop, the dog will learn to listen to the command and eventually you will not need to spray the Interostop. Our staff can assist you with proper Interstop use.

We also recommend desensitizing your dog to its kennel. Kennel your dog when you are home during the day for short stints at various times. For example: at dinner time or when you are on the phone. This way, your dog's kennel time is not only when you leave for work or when it is bed time. You can also give a safe toy to play with in the kennel, like a stuffed frozen Kong or a Nyla bone, to keep them occupied.

How do I house train my puppy?

We recommend reading "Way to Go! How to Housetrain a Dog of Any Age" by Karen B. London, Ph.D. and Patricia B. McConnell, Ph. D. You can purchase this book at The Groom & Board or online. This book is very informative and has helped many owners teach their dogs to eliminate outside. When house training your dog, you must watch your pal at all times when they are roaming in the house. When you can't keep an eye out, the dog needs to be in a kennel or on leash (even inside). This way, there is no opportunity to for the dog to have an accident without your knowledge.

Consistency is the key to success. Always take the puppy out the same door, this will help the puppy know what door to go to later. When you take the puppy outside, you need to go outside too, to make sure he/she actually eliminates. Keep your pal on leash to help stay on the task at hand. Once your puppy goes, walk then around a little longer to make sure they are complete done with their business. This process takes patience. If the puppy did not go, keep them near you when you go back inside and then try again a few minutes later. Setting a timer can be very helpful. If your puppy can hold it for 30 minutes, set the timer for 30 minutes. After a week of no accidents, set it to 45 minutes and so on. The timer is only for daytime, at night the puppy should be housed in a properly sized kennel and should sleep all night without getting up to go outside.

If you find an accident, the only thing you can do is clean it up. Never put the dog’s noise in it and punish him/her. If you catch them in the act of potting in the house you can make a loud noise, for example, saying "Oops" or "OH NO" in a loud voice but not an angry voice. Do this to distract the puppy and hopefully stop them from potting inside. Then, with a happy voice, get your puppy outside to finish. Take your puppy outside even if they fully went inside. This teaches that potting is an outside activity.

Do not use an angry/scary tone to correct a potting accident in the house. This will cause the puppy to think that potting in front of us is bad. When pet owners yell or hit or otherwise punish their dogs for having accidents, the dogs may never feel comfortable potting, even outside, if the pet owner is present. This can create a major house training set back and cause life long elimination problems.

My dog does not jump on me but he jumps on other people, how do I get them to stop?

Staying consistent with our dogs is key, if you give them an inch they will take a mile. When other people want to meet your dog, have them follow the rules you have established. Dogs jump to get our attention, so we need to teach them a different way to get this. Whenever the dog jumps, take their paws and put them back on the ground, once the paws touch the ground say “off” and push their back-end into the sit position. Once they are in the sit position, give them soft praise. Try not to over praise, a soft pet is enough, if we over praise we can get them excited and they may jump again.

My puppy is constantly chewing on things he/she should not be when his chew toy is sitting right there. How do I teach him/her not to do this?

New puppies do not understand the difference between your shoe and their chew toy, so you need to teach them the difference. To start, make sure your puppy is getting enough time to play and exercise, a tired dog is a well behaved dog. Then use the 4 “R’s”: Remove, Redirect, Replace, Reward. Remove the object they are not to have, Redirect the dog's attention, Replace with a proper item (example, bone) and Reward with verbal praise for chewing on the correct object.